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Is a four-day week possible for N.J. schools?

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Union Township students take part in a "science bee" last year. Some schools across the country are trying something new to save money and improve teaching: They are trying a four-day school week.
(Star-Ledger file photo)

In the ongoing quest to save money on public schools, and improve teaching and learning, some school districts across the country have come up with a new idea: The four-day school week.

A few hundred school districts, in 17 states, have switched to four-day schedules for students, according to a report on TimesDispatch.com.

Most districts that have switched are small, rural school districts, who are hoping to save money on transportation, utilities and support staff. Students attend class for longer days to meet state requirements for classroom hours, and many districts who've gone to four days require teachers to still come in on the day off for staff development, training and lesson planning.

In Missouri, where legislation permitted districts to take a day off, the law requires that if districts see substantial drops in test scores, they must return to a five-day schedule.

But in New Jersey, while some school officials welcome discussion of varying the school calendar, it seems the four-day week is a long way from happening.

State Education Department spokesman Mike Yaple said there is nothing to prevent districts from trying a four-day week, but there are some issues. Yaple noted that districts must meet the requirement for 180 days of instruction to get state aid, and districts would likely need to negotiate with unions on issues such as length of school day.

North Brunswick School Superintendent Brian Zychowski said that while he's never heard the idea discussed in New Jersey, he sees some issues, too. Among them, he said many working families depend on school to provide day care services, such as before- and after-school care.

While it may have started as cost-cutting, some school officials say going to four days can also improve education.

The superintendent of the Miami R-1 district in Missouri, located about an hour south of Kansas City, said in a report in the Kansas City Star that his district believes that having Mondays off energizes teachers to do more with the remaining four days.